Detroit City Council President Pro Tem George Cushingberry Jr. settles classic car lawsuit

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(WXYZ) - Detroit’s City Council President Pro Tem was accused of taking a widow’s classic cars. Now, George Cushingberry, Jr. is settling the lawsuit that she filed against him.

Roxanne Hudson has been fighting for answers from Cushingberry for years.

Back in 2011, when Roxanne’s husband Larry died, a woman named Cleo Wiley introduced Hudson to Cushingberry. Roxanne says the two were dating. At the time, the politician was working as a probate lawyer, and Roxanne says he promised to sell off Larry Hudson’s classic cars to pay for funeral expenses and save her home.

Back in January, Hudson told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo that after Wiley arranged for the cars to be taken away for sale, she stopped hearing from either Cushingberry or Wiley. Wiley now works for the Council President Pro Tem.

“No phone calls. I sent him certified letters and asked them for the return of the cars back. And the letters came back no response,” said Hudson.

So Hudson sued both of them. At one point, a mediator recommended that Hudson be awarded $45,000.

Cushingberry has refused to answer our questions about what happened to the vehicles.

Now Cushingberry is settling the case with Roxanne, but his attorney Todd Perkins won’t say how much his client will be handing over.

“The parties have come to a resolution in which I believe all the parties are satisfied in this matter,” said Perkins.

Cushingberry has had a slew of legal troubles since his election late last year, including that controversial traffic stop where police found marijuana and booze in his car. Perkins says that hasn’t kept him from being a good leader.

“Look at his record, look at what he’s doing for the city of Detroit. Look at his policies, just his verbiage. He’s been a strong catalyst, I believe, in the turn around of this city,” said Perkins.

Neither side on this lawsuit will say exactly how much the settlement is for, and it’s not a totally done deal yet. Lawyers expect to finalize the settlement by the end of the week.